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The Hum Residency: April 13, 2015 Manhattan Inn – FLAC/MP3/Streaming

If you caught last week’s post about week one of the Hum Residency, you already know the deal — Hypnocraft Presents brings us a monthlong, Monday night series held at the Manhattan Inn in Greenpoint, featuring musical collaborations among a diverse range of predominantly women artists, together with live projections. By design, the events have a spontaneous, free-flowing feel to them, with the artists wedged in around the centerpiece of the restaurant’s back room, a large white piano, used intermittently by the bands. Surrounding the artist on all sides are the fans, unsure of exactly what to expect, but knowing it should be something interesting and important.

Ashley Jackson began with two solo harp pieces, the second a fascinating version of Angelica Negron’s “Technicolor” with loops added in. Jackson was then joined by singer-songwriter Deli Neblett. Deli, of Nashville, began her very first New York show (!) with a set of guitar songs that felt even more delicate when backed by Jackson’s harp, as Neblett’s voice looped in the background to provide a ghostly ambiance to her arrangements. Her songs have a stylistic daring to them that sets her apart from her peers; the phrasing in “Boating” is hers and hers alone. “Grown Again” may remind you a little of Grouper, but it has a more organic sensibility than her work, despite the loops. Neblett’s future NYC shows should be worth a look.

Stream Deli & Ashley Jackson

[Hannah Epperson]

Violinist and vocalist Hannah Epperson felt in command of the situation from the get-go, promising to tame her usual volubility. I’d have been happy to hear her talk more, personally, but her playing belonged as the highlight. Of her two songs, the expressive “Farthest Distance Apart” really nailed it for me, with Epperson’s vocals about the transient nature of attention in modern society sure to hit home with most of us.

Stream Hannah Epperson:

Then came time for Elizabeth & the Catapult (in this case, the “Catapult” was guitarist/vocalist Chris Cubeta), who let loose with a rollicking, devil-may care kind of a set that found Elizabeth moving between the piano and wandering the stage with her guitar, joining her musical partner for vocals on “Go Away My Lover”, which we first experienced at Elizabeth’s Backyard Brunch Session a couple years ago. Here, Elizabeth sounded more forceful and assured than ever, earning plaudits as well as some deserved laughs for both her all-too-recognizable lyrics about relationships and her equally-deserved hate for hashtagging. Elizabeth & the Catapult’s set was so on point, in fact, that she even got an “encore” of sorts, turning her song “More Than Enough” into a crowd singalong.

Stream Elizabeth & the Catapult:

Perhaps the evening’s most surprising set came from Indigo Street and Shelley Burgon, who closed things down with an intense set of ambient instrumental music that created the perfect vibe for ending the night. Their choices — Burgon’s “Time Between Times Variation Three” and the theme from “To Kill A Mockingbird” — were cerebral, cinematic numbers that were a joy to see being created. They truly created the sort of “hum” this event is about, a warming of the heart, brain and soul, an oasis of reflection capable of taking place even in a crowded bar. It was something special.

Stream Indigo Street and Shelley Burgon:

I recorded this set with a soundboard feed together with Audio Technica 4051 cardiod microphones up close on the performers. While some ambient noise can be heard from the crowded bar up front, as well as bits of DI hum here and there, overall the sound quality of the sets is quite good. Enjoy!

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